This invention relates generally to turbine engines and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for cooling a turbine blade trailing edge.
A turbine engine typically includes a core engine having, in serial flow relationship, a high pressure compressor which compresses an airflow entering the core engine, a combustor in which a mixture of fuel and compressed air is burned to generate hot propulsive gases, and a high pressure turbine which is rotated by the hot propulsive gases. The high pressure turbine is connected to the high pressure compressor by a shaft so that the high pressure turbine blades drive the high pressure compressor. Additional compressors and turbine blades (e.g., a low pressure compressor and a low pressure turbine) may be positioned in serial flow relationship with the core engine. As used herein, the term "turbine blades" refers to the high pressure turbine blades and low pressure turbine blades.
A turbine blade typically includes an airfoil, a platform, a shank, and a dovetail. The platform is connected to a root of the airfoil and the shank. The shank is connected to the dovetail, through which the cooling air is directed. The airfoil includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, with the trailing edge being relatively thin in comparison to the leading edge. The airfoil further includes an upper portion, a lower portion, and a tip. The tip and the root are connected to the leading edge and the trailing edge at the upper portion and the lower portion of the airfoil, respectively.
A greater operating efficiency and power output of the turbine engine is achieved through higher operating temperatures. Operating temperatures are limited, however, by a maximum temperature tolerable by the rotating turbine blades, along with problems associated with tension and stress caused by increased rotation of the turbine blades. Typically, cooling air is extracted from an outlet of the compressor and utilized to cool, for example, turbine blades.
Optimization of aerodynamic efficiency creates problems with operating conditions of the airfoil, and optimization of the operating conditions creates problems with the aerodynamic efficiency. In operation, aerodynamic losses predominately occur at the upper portion of airfoils with a thick trailing edge due to radial distribution of the hot propulsive gases. However, a thin trailing edge increases the likelihood that the lower portion of the airfoil will fail due, at least in part, to high centrifugal stresses during operation, when combined with the high operating temperatures.